Liquid-level indicator



May 29, 192s." 1,671,624

J. H. BECKER LIQUID' LEVEL iNDIcATon `F11ed oct. 15, 1923.

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IIEN'ZIS, 0F ONE-HALF T0 AMERICAN RESEARCH A CORPORATION OF DELAWABE.

y l1,671,624 UNITED STATES MPATENT OFFICE.

TULIUB E. BECKER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY IESNE ASSIGN- AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY,

LIQUIDLEVEL INDIcAroR.

Application led October 15, 1923. lSerial No. 668,621.

The invention relates to a device for indicatin the amount of liquid in a tank. An oject of the invention is to provide means forindicating the amount of liquid in a tank situated at a remote point.

Another object of the invention is to provide an indicating means which is not influenced by variations in atmospheric temperature and pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a asoline gauge for use on automobiles,

to disc ose on an indicating instrument on the dash the exact amount of gasoline in the supply tank, regardless of the position of the automobile and regardless of atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foreoing, will be set forth at len th in the folowin description, Where I s all outline in full, t at form of my invention' which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the resent-specification. In said drawin s I ave shown one form of device embodyin m invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as set .forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device of my invention.

Figure .2 is a diagrammatic representation of the device of my invention installed in a gasolinetank and connected with a pressure indicating instrument.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal the device of my invention.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the device placed at an angle, such as it assumes when section through y the automobile 1s standing at the curb.

The present device is particularly adapted to be used to indicate the amount of gasoline ,in the supply tank of an automobile, al-

though it may be used to indicate the amount of liquid in any tank or container. It may an automobile, the indicating instrument is preferably calibrated Vto indicate volume since many automobile tanks are cylindrical in form, so that the volume contained therein at any particular time does not correspond dirzictly with the depth of the liquid in the tan The device of my invention comprises a` casing 2 composed of a plurality of chambers or compartments 3, 4, 5 and 6. These compartments are separated by the walls 7, 8 and 9 and these walls are provided with suitable apertures to permit the transfer of pressure from one chamber to the other. The lower chamber 6 is preferably provided in one end with an aperture 12, adjacent its bottom, to permit the liquid to flow into the chamber 6. The casing is usually arranged Within the tank at the bottom of the tank so that when the tank is filled with liquid, the casing is submerged, but it may be arranged above the tank and the aperture 12 connected to the bottom of suitable tube or conduit. The chamber 3 is y connected by an impervious tube 13, pref- 14. The tube 13 is continuously filled with'l gas and means are provided for preventing the entry of liquid into this tube, since the presence of liquid in the tube would produce an'improper reading on the indicator. Means are also provided to. prevent variations in volume of the air in the tube, due to atmospheric temperature changes, from causing a variation in the indicator reading.

The chamber 4 Within the casing and which may be termed the displacement chamber is made larger in its horizontal dimension so that a very small vertical displacement of li uid inthis chamber will produce a large c ange in the volume of gas 1n the chamber. The chamber 4 is designed so that at all times it is partially filled with liquid and partially filled with gas. When the gasoline tank is full -and the atmospheric temperature is low, the level of the gasoline in the chamber 4 may approach the top Wall 7 thereof. When the gasoline tank is substantially empty and the atmospheric temperature is high, the level of the the tank by a in chamber 3 is directly pro ortional to the v level of the liquid in the tan and this pressure is transmitted through the tube 13 to the gauge 14. An increase in temperature of the tube 13, causing an expansion of the air therein will cause the movement of some ai! from the chamber 3 into the chamber 4 lowering the levelof the liquid therein drawn up into the tu .practically an infinitesimal amount. The

pressure in the chamber 3 is dependent upon the static head between. the liquid in the tank and the li uid in the chamber 4 and since the level di the liquid in the chamber 4 is substantially constant, variations in tem perature will not produce variations in pressure in the tube 13.

The casing 2 is normally arranged within. the asoline tank in a horizontalA posit-ion but equently happens, as when the automobile is standing at the curb, that the gasoline tank is incl1ned so that the casing is no longer horizontal. In this position, with the gasoline tank ull, the gasoline may run into the chamber 3 and means are provided for preventing this asoline from being be' 13 and thus producing an improper reading of the indicator. It is a parent that if the automobile is inclined s ciently to submerge the aperture between the chambers 3 and 4 in the gasoline and the air within the tube 13 con-Y tracts, that gasoline will be drawn up into the tube 13. To prevent the gasoline from being drawn up into the tube 13 I have provided the wall 7 with ports or apertures ,15 .at opposite sides thereof so thatlregardless of the direction in which the casing 2 is inclined, one of these apertures is always above the level of the gasoline so that the contraction of the air in the tube 13 will cause the flow of air into the tube, ythe air passing from the chamber 4 through the uncovered opening 15 into the chamber 3.A The wall 7 also serves as a baille wall to prevent the liquid from splashing into the tube 13 but allowing movement of the air.

Means are also 'provided for preventing any of the air trapped in the chambers 3 and 4 from becomin lost, thereby interfering with the proper reading of the indicator. The wall 8 separating the chambers 4 and 5 is provided with apertures 16 adjacent its .end and if any air asses through these apertures into the cham er 5, forming bubbles therein, it will soon find its way back through these apertures into the chamber 4. Due to a sudden lurch of the automobile some air may be expelled through Bone of the apertures 16 into the chamber 5, but this air, in the form of a bubble, will remain in contact with the under side of the wall 8 and as the automobile moves, will gradually find its way to one of the aper'- tures 16. To prevent this air which passes down through the apertures 16,4 from becoming lost, I provide the dividing wall 9 and the chamber 6, these elements producing additional assurance that no air will be lost.' The wall 9 is provided with a port 17 at its center connectlng the chambers 5 and 6 and the inlet port 12 of the chamber 6 is arranged adjacent the bottom thereof so that in order that air might escape from the sysg tem it is necessary that it pass down through the apertures 16 across the chamber 5, which is filled with liquid, through the apertures 17 and across the chamber 6 which is also lilled with liquid. Any movement ofj the automobile which will result in the loss of air from the casing would be sufficient' to wreck the'automobile. The chambers 5 and 6 are narrow and serve as conduits to permit the liquid to flow into and out of the chamber 4 as the level of the li uid in the tank varies. The chamber 3 isalso in the nature of a conduit and serves to prevent the entry of liquid into the tube 13.

The device compensates for variations in atmospheric temperature and also in barometric pressure so that the indicator 14 at all times shows exactly the amount of liquid in the tank. Jolting and lurching of the automobile will not interfere with the ac-- curacy of the ,indicatorl and, since the arrangement is such that under normal operating conditions, no gasoline can enter tube 13, the indicator 14 will always indicate the exact amount of gasoline in the tank.

I claim:

1.` A device for indicating the level of the liquid in a tank com rising a casing adapted to be submerged in t e liquid, a tube connecting said casing to a pressure indicating instrument, said casing comprising an elongated horizontal displacement adapted to be normally partially filled with liquid and partially filled with gas, a superposed chamber to whichA said tube is `connected, `said chambers being separated by a wall having apertures therein at the ends, a chamber below said elongated chamber, the se arating wall between said latter chambers beiig provided with apertures adjacent the en s. 2. A device for indicating the level of the liquid in a tank, comprising anv indicator actuated by pressure due to the depth of the chamber the bottom thereof, said casing being divided byhorizontal walls into four superposed chambers, the upper and first chamber being connected to the tube, th`e lower and fourth chamber opening into the tank, the second chamber comprising a displacement chamber which is normally partially filled with the liquid and partially `filled with gas, the wall separating said first and second chambers being provided adjacent its ends with apertures, theV wall separating the second and third chambers being provided at its ends with apertures and the wall separating the third and fourth chambers being provided at'its center with an aperture.`

3. In a device for indicating the level of liquid in a tank comprising a casing adapted to be submerged in the liquid; said casing comprising a displacement chamber of relatively large horizontalcross-sectional area adapted to be partially filled with liquid and partially filled with gas, means communicating with said chamber for connection to a pressure responsive indicator, a second chamber of relativelv smaller horizontal cross-sectional area below said displacement chamber and provided with a passageway for communication with 'the liquid in the tank, and an apertured wall separating said chambers. j

4. In a device for indicating the level of liquid in a tank comprising a casing adapted to be submerged in the liquid; said casing comprising a displacement chamber of relatively large horizontal cross-sectional area adapted to be partially filled with liquid and partially filled with gas, means "communicating with said chamber for connection to a pressure responsive indicator, a second chamber below said displacement chamber, a third lchamber below said second chamber and provided with an a erture communicating with the liquid in t e tank, a wall separating said displacement and second chambers being apertured adjacent its edges, and a wall separating the second and third chambers being apertured substantially at its center.

5. A device for indicating the level of the liquid in a tank comprising an indicator actuated by pressure due to thedepth of liquid in the tank, means for transmitting Huid pressure and extending from the indicator to al casing disposed in the tank and opening into the tank adjacent the bottom thereof, said casing being divided into a plurality of superposed chambers by a plurality of dividing walls, said chambers comprising 'f an vupper chamber which is connected to the tube, a displacement chamber below said u per chamber which is normally partial y0 filled with liquid and partially filled with gas, and a lower chamber opening into the tank, the dividing' wall forming the bottom of the upper chamber being provided with apertures adjacent its edges, andthe dividing wall forming the top of the lower chamber being apertured only adjacent its center. y 6. A device for indicating the level of the liquid in a tank comprising an indicator actuated by pressure lue to the depth of liquid in the tank, means for transmitting fluid pressure and extending from the indicator to a casing disposed in the tank and Opening into the tank adjacent the bottom thereo said casing being divided into a plurality of superposed chambers by a plurality of dividing walls, said chambers comprising an upperv chamber which is connected to the tube, a displacement chamber below said upper chamber and in communication with the same, said displacement chamber being normally partially filled with liquid and partially filled with gas, a lower chamber opening into the tank, and a chamber interme-A diate and in communication with said lower chamber and displacement chamber, the dividing wallforming the bottom of said upper chamber being apertured adjacent its ends, the dividing wall forming the bottom of said intermediate chamber being aper-` tured adjacent its center.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.-

JULIUS H. BECKER. 

